UPDATE: Evacuation order issued for aggressive wildfire near Falkland

FALKLAND - An aggressive wildfire in the Bolean Lake area of Falkland has prompted an evacuation order.

The blaze, which was reported to B.C. Wildfire about 2 p.m. Monday, July 20, quickly grew to an estimated 300 hectares in size up from four hectares earlier in the day. B.C. Wildfire reported Tuesday morning the blaze stayed at 300 hectares overnight.

The fire, located five kilometres northwest of Falkland, is burning aggressively and is zero per cent contained. The north east flank is burning slash and juvenile forest and the fire moved very slowly down the hill toward Chase-Falkland Road overnight, states the regional district. Hot and dry weather, combined with strong winds, continues to challenge fire suppression efforts.

Resources were upped to 23 firefighters and two helicopters by Tuesday morning. Due to strong wind gusts Monday, air support had to stand down for safety reasons.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is believed to be human-caused. Watch Infonews.ca for updates as they develop.

A wildfire was sparked just outside Falkland Monday afternoon, July 20, 2015.

Image Credit: Jessica Karen Kucher

The wildfire burning near Falkland is four hectares in size, July 20, 2015.

Image Credit: Twitter/@KellyAnn_Conner

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 6:22 p.m. Monday, July 20, 2015, to add an update from B.C. Wildfire, again at 8:30 p.m. to say an evacuation alert was issued by the regional district, and again at 9:30 p.m. to say an evacuation order was issued.

— This story was updated at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, 2015, to provide an update from B.C. Wildfire on the current size of the fire and again at 10:30 a.m. to say the Bolean Lake Lodge manager and four guests were safely evacuated.

OPINION Editor, This is a busy time of year, but I find it’s also a time of reflection, particularly as January marks the end of my two-year term as Chair and my 10 years serving on the Board of Interior